The 10 best strimmers for a neat and tidy garden, reviewed by experts

Telegraph

15 hours ago

The key to a well-cut lawn is neat edges – but they're hard to achieve. Often, a lawn mower is too bulky and if there's a flowerbed or rockery, you risk damaging your flowers, your lawn mower or both. The best strimmers, whether petrol, electric or cordless, make it easy.
In fact, if your garden needs serious landscaping, turn to a strimmer first. 'If the grass is longer than your lawn mower can handle, the strimmer can take that down ready for you to go over it with the mower,' explains James Broadhouse, a professional groundskeeper of 12 years (known online as Jimmy The Mower). For something tougher, like a bramble patch, a powerful strimmer or brushcutter will also help.
Below we've reviewed this year's best strimmers from brands including Stihl, Ryobi and Bosch. You'll also find answers to popular questions about them. But first, here's our top five:
Which are the best strimmers? At a glance
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How to choose the best strimmer
According to Broadhouse, the key things to look for in a strimmer are a robust build, comfortable handling and, if it's cordless, a decent battery life.
'Most homeowners probably shouldn't be looking at a petrol strimmer,' says Broadhouse. 'A can of petrol is only really fresh for a couple of months, after which, if you haven't used it all, it just goes to waste.' That said, heavy-duty or commercial users, will benefit from the extra power and range petrol models provide.
Broadhouse also recommends choosing a cordless strimmer over a corded one, because of the potential safety risk a trailing power cord poses.
Look for interchangeable heads for different kinds of mowing. Most strimmers will display their noise and vibration output, which can help narrow down your options. They are heavier than they look, so it's worth visiting your local garden centre to try a few and see what feels manageable.
How we tested the best strimmers
We consulted expert James Broadhouse before testing this year's best strimmers at our reviewers' gardens and in the case of Becky, an allotment too.
Most strimmers have various uses, ranging from mowing grass and cutting woody weeds to edging lawn boundaries, depending on the model. We used each tool for its intended tasks, rating performance based on how cleanly and efficiently it cut. Design was also a key factor in our review process, especially the ease of setting up, configuring and handling the tool.
Most of the products reviewed are cordless electric strimmers, as these are the most user-friendly. For these we considered the runtime, charging time and overall charging experience. Finally, we weighed up the value-for-money of each strimmer, based on its price and quality relative to comparable models.
Since you're perusing tools to cut back unwanted growth in your garden, you may also find our guides to the best hedge trimmers and best secateurs useful.
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Best trimmers
1. Best Buy Strimmer: Stihl FSA 60 R Cordless Strimmer
Reviewed by Pete Wise
Of the many strimmers I've used, this is the most capable. The wide cutting swathe is good for precisely cutting long, unruly grasses and tough weeds practically exploded on contact – great for bringing my neglected lawn under control before a mow.
Assembly took twenty minutes, with a star key and fixings included. The only difficulty came with attaching the handle's fiddly square washers.
It's superbly designed, with quality components and intuitive operation. The three-part trigger system is secure and simple, while the long fixed shaft makes it easy to quickly move from side to side and trim large areas efficiently. However, my arms were aching after about 20 minutes. A harness to help distribute the weight may have made it easier to use. It may also be hard to store if your garden storage is on the squat side.
The 36V battery blows away most other consumer-grade cordless strimmers. You get about 30 minutes of runtime, but it bumps up the strimmer's weight and has a charging time of about three hours. Impressively given its power, it's not too noisy.
It's not cheap, but this investment strimmer is an extremely capable, high-quality tool suitable for large or challenging gardens. Following the safety guidelines is especially important when using powerful models like the FSA 60 R. Stihl makes good protective glasses, face masks and gloves to minimise the risk of injury.
Key specifications
2. Best Value Strimmer: Black and Decker 18v Cordless Resin Blade Telescopic Grass and Edge Trimmer
The Black and Decker 18v Cordless Resin Blade Telescopic Grass and Edge Trimmer is a powerful tool for gardeners and allotmenteers. It is a small, lightweight, ergonomic strimmer with an adjustable handle and telescopic shaft. The battery (which is interchangeable with other Black and Decker 18v tools) lasts around 40 minutes, which is impressive for such a relatively cheap tool. There are two power settings, one for grass and one for tougher weeds, so you can conserve the battery or boost the power as needed.
The rotating head and guide wheel are well suited to tackling lawn edges, though the resin blades can cut into the ground if you get the angle wrong and damage tree trunks and wooden features in the garden. You can change to a soft nylon cord if this will be a problem (sold separately). The resin blades make short work of tougher weeds such as dock and nettles and easily cut through overgrown grass. It has an impressive cutting width for such a small tool (28cm), making as helpful in larger areas as small ones.
To set up the tool all you need to do is place the guard around the cutting end; simply loosen a screw, slot the guard in place and then refasten. The handle is easy to adjust at the press of a button, while the shaft extends up and down when you loosen its cuff.
Key specifications
3. Best Lightweight Strimmer: Bosch Universal GrassCut 18V-26-500
£100
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Price at
Bosch
Reviewed by Becky Searle
This impressive little tool is one of the lightest on our list, weighing just two kilograms without the battery and 2.4kg with. If you want a grab and go garden tool, this one is good value, easy to handle and can be used with the Bosch POWER FOR ALL battery, if you already have one. It even has a battery life of around forty minutes, making it a great choice for gardens big and small.
The head is adjustable, so you can easily strim on a slope or under hard-to-reach places. The shaft is also easily extended and the handle angle adjusted, so it feels comfortable to use, whatever your height and build. The handle end twists too, for easier use on edges, though I prefer tools that twist at the cutting end rather than the handle end for that job.
This strimmer cut through tall grass easily and neatly but struggled a bit when facing weeds such as nettle and dock, so it is better suited to those wanting to maintain a lawn than tackle a weedy allotment.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 26cm
Weight: 2kg
Battery life: 30-40 minutes
4. Best Variable-speed Trimmer: Makita 18V LXT
Reviewed by Maddi Howell
I used Makita's cordless strimmer to tackle a particularly overgrown garden that hadn't seen a blade for several years. I was glad of the protective gear I bought, as recommended by the manual. This is powerful for a cordless strimmer, its nylon cutting head capable of cutting grass, weeds, bushes and undergrowth.
It was satisfying to use. The Makita is swung in a half circle from right to left, scythe-like. Remove grass and weed residues by reversing the direction of rotation. The blades can cut adjustable widths of 23, 25.5 and 30 cm. It automatically regulates the speed for the best results, depending on the greenery you are trimming.
Sensors stop the engine if the rotation suddenly stops, while it also has dust and water resistance. I wouldn't recommend strimming wet weeds, though.
It's not as loud as other trimmers, since the adjustable technology keeps the speed low wherever it can. I also bought the compatible three-tooth cutting blade for super tough stems. It was a little tricky to attach: not a job for the impatient.
There was quite a lot of vibration, but the ergonomics were good, thanks to a bike-style loop handle and a curved shaft. It's also not frightfully heavy. Overall, a decent cordless grass trimmer that gets nasty jobs done without fuss. It's fairly expensive for a cordless, but the price includes a £120 18V battery which can be used on other Makita 18V tools. The battery charged fast and lasted around 40 minutes.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 30cm
Weight: 3.3kg
Power: 18V battery, 240W output
5. Best Strimmer for Battery Design: Ryobi ONE+ Grass Trimmer 18V OLT 1832
Reviewed by Becky Searle
The Ryobi strimmer comes as part of its ONE+ range, a group of tools all sharing the same battery. If you already have the battery or own another one of the tools in the range, this represents excellent value. You can also purchase larger batteries for greater run time if you have a large area to cover. Note, however, that these weigh more and can cause balance issues.
This tool has an extendable shaft, an adjustable head so you can change the angle of cutting and a rotating head to make edge trimming easier. The handle is also easily adjustable, as is the cutting line, which has a 25 to 30cm width, providing good flexibility if you have some more fiddly areas of your garden.
Setting up this tool is straightforward and just requires you to screw on the guard hood and off you go. The Ryobi did an excellent job on the grass but struggled a little on tougher weeds, so it may not be the best choice if you have seriously weedy patches to tackle.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 25/30cm
Weight: 2.4kg
Battery life: Up to 50 minutes
6. Best Strimmer for Edging: Stiga Cordless Lawn Trimmer GT 300e Kit
This cordless lawn trimmer is powerful, fully adjustable, light and comfortable to use. Set up simply requires the attachment of a guard around the cutting head with two small screws and the handle with another. The latter can move up and down the shaft, which can also extend or shorten using a clip system.
This strimmer uses dual nylon line with an auto feed system, meaning that you don't need to keep stopping to unspool the line while you are working. It works well on long grass and has a dedicated power setting for weeds and thicker stems. This was effective on small weeds but struggled with larger ones like dock, where the resin blades of the Black and Decker managed easily. The nylon cord is gentle on stonework and other hard surfaces though and its rotating head and guide wheel make it easy to use for edging. While it has a wide cutting width of 30cm, it's manoeuvrable enough for both large and small gardens.
One of the best features is its wall-mounted charger, which lets you charge and store the strimmer with ease. The tool accommodates two batteries, which makes it a little heavier, but packs in a lot of power for a cordless tool. The run time is between 20 and 30 minutes per charge.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 30cm
Weight: 2.9kg
Warranty: Five years
Battery life: 20 -30 minutes
7. Best Specialised Grass Trimmer: Gtech GT50 Cordless Grass Trimmer
Reviewed by Pete Wise
Most strimmers aim to please all parties with a middle-of-the-road design, but if you need one for cutting long grass, then the Gtech GT50 could be ideal.
This isn't strictly a strimmer, as it uses a spinning blade instead of a string. You might call it a 'blimmer'. The components fit together intuitively, including the replaceable plastic blade (20 are included; spares cost about eight pence each), which was far easier to attach than a strimming line. Some buttons can be a little stiff, but that's a minor complaint.
It's powered by an included 18V lithium-ion battery with a runtime of up to 30 minutes. But it takes about four hours to recharge. Helpfully, a status indicator light on the battery tells you roughly how much charge is left.
During my hands-on testing, the GT50 cut long grass effortlessly – impressive given the grass was slightly wet (which can strain a trimmer's motor). Though it's designed only for grass, I also used it to cut soft weeds such as dandelions, which proved no match for the rapidly spinning plastic blade. It edged the lawn powerfully, leaving the area crisply cut. I missed a guide wheel for this task, however, as I had to concentrate to hold it at the right height.
Using the shoulder strap made it easy to wield and it's exceptionally light at 1.85kg. All things considered, this is a fantastically capable strimmer. If you can handle tough weeds with your secateurs, then it can do the rest.
Key specifications
8. Best Strimmer for Large Gardens: Einhell Professional Cordless Lawn Trimmer GP-CT 36/35 Li BL-Solo
Reviewed by Becky Searle
If you're looking for a serious tool for a larger garden, meadow or paddock, this sturdy, professional strimmer is designed for big jobs. The battery runs for around 35 minutes and it houses two ports on the charger as well. They must be purchased separately, though and come in varying sizes, for longer cutting times of up to 120 minutes.
The trimmer arrives in two pieces, which easily slot together. The guard hood also requires screwing on. This houses a sharp cutting blade, so be sure to store it safely. This can be done in halves, so even though it is a large tool, storage shouldn't be a problem.
As a professional tool, this strimmer is on the heavier side, weighing 3.45kg before batteries are added. However, it has a carrying strap to distribute the weight across your shoulders rather than solely relying on your arms. The shaft is not adjustable, but the handle can be moved up or down it and the angle adjusted.
My only gripe with this trimmer is the vibration. After a few minutes of use it started to feel uncomfortable; however, this effect is reduced when wearing padded gloves. This tool worked brilliantly on grass and soft weeds, but when tasked with some more serious weeds, the cutting line broke. It was straightforward to pull out more line.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 35cm
Weight: 3.5kg
Warranty: 10 years
Battery life: 30-120 minutes
9. Best Budget Corded Strimmer: Flymo Contour 500E
Reviewed by Simon Lewis
I think of this one as a 'grandad strimmer', in the best possible way. My grandad had a small garden that he kept pristine, with ruler-straight borders. As it happens, he used a Flymo.
The 10-metre cord on this entry-level trimmer limits its range severely, but keeps things simple. It's easy to hang up in the shed and you don't need to remember to charge a battery.
I found it easy to put together and to adjust the length, although both needed more strength than I was expecting. It's lighter than most battery strimmers, but still weighty and doesn't handle quite as easily because there's no all-round hand grip. Instead, there's a chunky plastic handle that can sit perpendicular to the shaft (as in the picture), lay flat back for a wider swing, or fold forward to give much better control if you're shrubbing under trees or benches.
Solidly constructed and easy to clean, this is the one to buy if you only have a small garden and want a corded design. There are £129 EasiTrim and £174.99 UltraTrim cordless options if you need more room to roam.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 25cm
Weight: 3.1kg
Power: 500W electric motor, plug-in
10. Best Strimmer for Small Gardens: Mountfield Cordless Lawn Trimmer MTR 20 Li
Reviewed by Becky Searle
The Mountfield Cordless Lawn Trimmer is good enough for anyone maintaining a small patch of grass. The adjustable head lets you change the angle at which you are strimming, which is practical for gardening on a slope, or reaching under difficult spots like a bench. While it has an adjustable handle, it is set quite high, which makes the balance feel a little off. But weighing in at only 2.16kg (without the battery), this is another lightweight buy.
To assemble the strimmer, screw in the guard around the cords, then clip on the handle. This can then be loosened by hand if you want to adjust its angle while the shaft lengthens or shortens when you hold down a button. It is a little clunky though, so be sure to holding both parts securely.
This strimmer uses a nylon line cutting system which is gentle when used close to fences, ornaments or hard surfaces, but cuts a little less cleanly than resin blades. On weeds, it broke and needed to be pulled out and adjusted regularly. In fact, I'd say the tool was not powerful enough to take on tougher weeds like thistles, but it proved excellent on long grass. With a relatively small cutting width of 25cm, it is also useful for getting into small spaces. The running time of the battery is only around 20 minutes, so it would suit smaller gardens best.
Key specifications
Cutting width: 25cm
Weight: 2.15kg
Battery life: 40 minutes
Strimmers FAQs
What's the difference between a strimmer and a brushcutter?
What's the difference between a strimmer and a brushcutter?
'A brushcutter is generally larger and more robust [than a strimmer],' explains our expert James Broadhouse. 'It can be used for taking down thicker plants such as brambles and nettles.'
Is a straight or curved shaft trimmer better?
In short, it depends what you're going to do with it, says Broadhouse. 'Curved shafts will be lighter and more compact, which makes them good for intricate work around flower beds etc.'
'A straight shaft is generally larger,' he continues. 'You might have a double-shoulder harness for one of those to balance the machine they're more for hard work or larger areas. You wouldn't usually use a large straight shafted machine around your prized begonias and you wouldn't use a curved shaft one on a quarter-mile driveway.'
Are strimmers with plastic blades any good?
Yes. The vast majority of strimmers designed for domestic use have plastic blades and they work fine. They make the strimmer lighter and they're also cheaper to replace. The downside is they're also slightly more prone to breaking if you go over a stone or hit a tree. But if you're just doing the edges of your lawn, they'll be fine.
How do you stop a strimmer line from breaking?
The simplest thing to do is to just make sure your product is clean. Cuttings and debris can get into unclean line feeders, which can cause the strimmer line to break. If that happens, you'll need to replace it. In the video below, Broadhouse explains how it's done.
What type and thickness of strimmer line is best?
Some strimmers are compatible with a selection of strimmer line products, made in various thicknesses and grades of material to suit different uses around the garden.
Thicker strimmer line generally cuts more powerfully, but can also put more strain on the strimmer. Check your strimmer's specifications to ensure it can handle a thicker line, before you go ahead and fit one. Only use strimming line products and attachments that have been made specifically for use with your strimmer.
How long does a typical cordless strimmer battery last?
Battery runtime is an important point of difference between strimmer models. Some run out of power in as little as 15 minutes, whereas others can work continuously for 30 minutes or longer.
In some cases, different battery sizes are available, such as 2.0Ah or 5.0Ah. Higher-capacity batteries are bulkier and more expensive, but they provide longer runtime, which makes them a good match for larger gardens.
All lithium-ion batteries become less effective over a period of months and years, until they finally stop working. As such, you might notice that your cordless strimmer's battery life decreases from one year to the next, until you purchase a replacement battery and restore the strimmer's runtime.
Can I use a strimmer to cut brambles or thick woody weeds?
Yes, you can cut brambles or thick, woody weeds using a strimmer, although you'll need to use a powerful model or brushcutter.
You'll also need to use an appropriate attachment for cutting tough or thicker plant matter like a relatively thick strimmer line.
What safety equipment should I wear when using a strimmer?
Strimmers can kick up gravel, pebbles and other loose materials if angled incorrectly and they often send plant debris flying while they work. It's therefore important to wear proper protective clothing while using your strimmer around the garden.
Wearing goggles or a see-through mask that covers your face is essential and it's strongly recommended to wear robust gloves and thick garments too. You might also choose to wear ear protectors while you strim, as these tools often operate noisily.
When cutting brambles or thick woody weeds, it's particularly important to wear protective gear, as pieces of the cut plants can easily fly back in your direction.